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Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering candies, and sending greeting cards.
According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)
Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.
Valentine’s Day History
Some say the day is named after a bishop named Valentine, who was stationed in the Roman Empire. Claudius II was the Emperor at that time. He thought that unmarried men made better soldiers, so he decided to make it a law that young men could not marry. Around 270 A.D., Valentine took pity on the ostracized soldiers who were not permitted to marry or see their sweethearts.
He became an advocate of these young lovers and began to perform secret marriages. He was soon found out and jailed. Emperor Claudius II attempted to convert Valentine to begin worshipping the Roman gods, but Valentine refused. Instead, he tried to convert Claudius to Christianity and Valentine sentenced to be executed on February 24, 270.
Another version of the history of Valentine’s Day tells that Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. Just before his death, he sent her a note and signed it “from your Valentine.” An aura of romance surrounded his demise and those who knew about it spread the tale. Bishop Valentine became Saint Valentine with his fame extending to England and France.
After his death, Valentine then became what is known as a “Patron Saint.” Some considered him the spiritual overseer of an annual festival in which young Romans would distribute cards of affection to those they wished to formally see. This festival was held each February 14. There are Valentine cards in museums worldwide that date back to 1415.
Making Valentine’s Day Special on A Budget
The best experience on Valentine’s Day is to have your loved one come away feeling loved, special, and wanted. Here are some tips to save money and still make the day special.
When all is said and done, Valentine's Day is really all about the love. Enjoy!
- Make your own. Cards and gifts that are handmade are more likely to be remembered because they are personally made by you for “your valentine”. You can add many special and personalized touches. Tell the story of how you came to be or tell the story of the dreams you share.
- Think of something special you can do for your love. Use vouchers. Example: This voucher is good for the night of your wildest dreams. To be redeemed when you're in the mood. Give a loving foot massage or full body massage. You would be amazed at the amount of gratitude your partner will have.
- Say "I love you". It doesn't cost anything but it says and means a great deal. Don't be shy; say it a lot during the day. Tell your love how you really feel. He or she will appreciate your honesty and it will mean more than any gift could.
- Be spontaneous. Watch the sun rise, see the sun set, watch a movie, listen to a visiting band, memorize his favorite poem and recite it after dinner, or whatever else you think is most appropriate.
- Create a music CD. Create a CD filled with love songs and make it better by creating a CD cover with a photo of both of you. Add in a couple of songs that have great titles that you can connect them together to create a short love note.
- Record a video. Record a video of you showing your gratitude to them and just remind them again just how much you love them. Pick a moment to play the video, such as the moment when you are having your home made Valentine’s Day dinner.
- Create a scrap book. Love notes, photos of both of you and other mementos can be collected to help create a scrap book.
- Breakfast in bed. Nothing beats waking up in the morning to see your Valentine had already prepared a delicious looking breakfast that is just right beside your bed. Pay attention to the little details and prepare something your Valentine would like to eat and decorate it with some small gifts or flowers.
When all is said and done, Valentine's Day is really all about the love. Enjoy!
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